1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game device structured so that a body mounted by the player is movable, and a virtual moving object maneuvering unit to be used for such game device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventionally known game device includes a display unit in front of a body mounted by the player, wherein the programmed movement of cars, airplanes and other vehicles are indicated on the display screen in correspondence with the control input from the operating unit.
Among the game devices of this type, players especially prefer those which provide movement of the body in accordance with the vehicle movements on the screen, and in fact, a large number of such game devices are on the market.
Generally, such game devices are structured to detect the control input from an input unit such as a handle via a sensor, and communicate such input to the body-moving power source to achieve movement of the body.
This type of game device is disclosed in Utility Model Laid-Open Sho 58(1983)-77785 and Utility Model Laid-Open Hei 5(1993)-11991. The first is a monitor game machine in which the player mounts the driver""s stand and operates a handle in correspondence with the monitor screen provided in front of the driver""s stand, wherein the driver""s stand may be tilted forwards, backwards, to the left, and to the right in correspondence with the handle operation. This monitor game machine is able to detect the control input from the handle via a sensor, and tilt the driver""s stand by controlling a hydraulic mechanism in correspondence with such control input.
The latter is an image-experiencing simulation seat, which, by providing a gas-driven actuator between a fixed base and a seat, enables free rocking of the seat mounted by the player in accordance with the game program.
However, as conventional game devices move the body through driving mechanisms such as hydraulic devices or gas-driven actuators, sense the control input from handles, etc., and thereafter the controlling base controls the body-moving mechanism in correspondence with the sensed results, it was difficult to move the body rapidly in accordance with the game program development.
On the other hand, there also exist conventional game devices which simulate car driving by directly connecting the handle to an AC servomotor, and realize a steering sense close to actual car driving under the control of an AC servomotor (xe2x80x9cIndi 500xe2x80x9d by Sega Enterprises, Ltd.). However, they are not structured to move the body in correspondence with the programmed car movements, so that in order to move the body, a separate power source for the movable body such as a hydraulic mechanism or gas-driven actuator becomes necessary, as shown with the two prior arts described above.
The present invention aims at providing a game device which includes a novel, body-moving mechanism, and particularly a game device which includes a body-moving mechanism which can move the body rapidly corresponding to the handle operation. Another aim of the present invention is to provide a game device which includes a controlling servo mechanism for the operating unit but does not require a separate body-moving mechanism.
In order to achieve the aims above, the game device according to the present invention is a game device for controlling the movements of a virtual vehicle in a game, including an operating mechanism for operating the movements of said virtual vehicle, a body moving mechanism for moving said body, and a communicating mechanism for directly communicating the control input from said operating unit to said body moving mechanism without utilizing a driving mechanism. This body desirably includes a movable body to be mounted by the player and a fixed body for supporting said movable body in a freely tilting manner.
Another preferable mode of the present invention is a game device wherein said virtual vehicle is a car in a game program, said operating mechanism is a handle unit for operating the car movements shown on a display unit, the handle unit is axially supported to be rotatable with regard to said movable body, and said body moving mechanism comprises a pulley connected to said handle unit and a belt contacting the pulley, said movable body structured to reciprocate in its tilting direction in accordance with the rolling of the pulley along the belt.
In this case, it is desirable with this game device that said belt cont acts a rotating body for controlling the rotation torque, and this game device further includes a rotation torque controlling means for the rotating body.
The game device according to the present invention further comprises a torque controlling means for performing control so that said rotation torque controlling means prevents the rotation of said rotating body when said rotating body is caused to rotate via said belt in correspondence with the rotation of said handle.
It is desirable that said rotating body is a servomotor, and said rotation torque controlling means is a means for controlling the rotation torque of this servomotor. Furthermore, said rotation torque controlling means performs control so that the standstill torque of said rotating body increases with the increase in speed of said car in a program. It is also desirable that a pulley connected to said handle unit rolls along said belt in correspondence with the increase in said rotation torque.
The virtual moving object maneuvering unit according to the present invention is a virtual moving object maneuvering unit for maneuvering the movements of a virtual moving object moving inside a virtual space, including a movable body simulating the maneuvering seat of said virtual moving object, a fixed body supporting said movable body in a freely rocking state, a handle provided in said movable body for controlling at least one portion of the movements of said virtual moving object, and a communicating and rocking means for mechanically communicating the movements of said handle to said movable body and to rock the movable body.
As one preferable mode of the present invention, it is desirable that this virtual moving object maneuvering unit further includes a communicated input controlling means for controlling the communicated input of the movements of said handle to be communicated to said movable body. It is also desirable that this communicated input controlling means controls said communicated input in correspondence with the movement speed of said virtual moving object. It is also desirable that the communicating and rocking means causes said movable body to rock in the direction opposite to the movement of said handle. It is further desirable that the handle includes a rotation central shaft and is provided rotatably around this rotation central shaft, and said movable body is supported by said fixed body in a freely rocking state round a swinging central axis substantially parallel to said rotation center. dr
FIG. 1 is a side view of the body of the game device according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of this body.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of this body in a tilting state.
FIG. 4(A) is a simplified model view of the tilting mechanism for the body, and
FIG. 4(B) is a simplified model view of the body in a tilting state.
FIG. 5 is a block view showing the functions of the AC control driver.
FIG. 6 is a block view of the game control substrate.
FIG. 7 shows a side view of the body of the game device consistent another embodiment of the invention having a pinion gear and a rack gear.